Tank filling means



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TANK FILLING MEANS Filed Dec. 2, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 The float arm is formed with two thrust shoulders 31 to abut the outer edges of the arms 26 of the latches when said float arm 20 is fully lowered, said shoulders then serving to force said arms 26 under the valve stem 19, which stem has been raised to valve open position by the cam 23 during descent of said float arm 2%, as will be clear from Fig. 2. The shouldered end of the float arm preferably carries a suitable counterbalance 38.

To explain the operation of the invention, we will assume that the tank II is about empty, the float arm 20 then occupying a completely lowered position (see Figs. 1 and 2). The latches 25 then hold the valve IS in open position as seen in Fig. 2, and said latches are held by the safety latch 3|. Liquid may now be admitted as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2 and as the liquid level in the tank rises, the float arm 20 swings idly upward as illustrated in Fig. 3. When the liquid level has risen to the predetermined extent, however, the cam first releases the safety latch 3| and the float arm extension 35 then pushes upwardly upon the pin 30, thus swinging the two latches 25 to released position and allowing the valve 18 to close as seen in Fig. 4. This closing occurs when there is still a safe head space in the tank II, to permit liquid expansion without danger. As liquid is withdrawn from the tank H, the float arm 20 descends, and during this descent, the cam 23 acts upwardly on the stem it, moving the valve 18 again toward open position. When the valve has been completely opened, the shoulders 3'! swing the latches 25 again to operative position, the parts being then in the relative positions shown in Fig. 2, to permit the tank to be again filled.

The reference character 39 merely represents a projecting pin near the lower end of the stem l9 to prevent this stem from rotating, insuring that its grooves 28 shall remain in cooperative relation with the latches Eli.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made a;

for carrying out the objects of the invention, and attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A tank-filling means comprising an elongated casing to extend through an opening in a tank, said casing having a liquid inlet at its outer end, a longitudinal stem guide at its inner end, a liquid outlet between said inlet and said stein guide, and an outwardly facing valve seat be tween said inlet and outlet, the inner end of said stem guide being provided with a rigid arm projecting longitudinally inward and laterally offset from the axis of said guide, an inwardly closing valve cooperable with said seat and having an attached stem extending longitudinally through said stem guide, a cam directly cooperable with the inner extremity of said stem for forcing the latter to valve-open position, a transverse pivot mounting said cam on said rigid arm, a float arm secured to said cam for operating it, a right angular latch pivotally mounted at its angle on the aforesaid pivot at one side of said cam, said latch having a longitudinal arm extending toward said casing for end-to-end abutting relation with said stem to hold the latter in valveopen position, said latch also having a second arm projecting laterally, thrust means on said float arm at one side of said pivot to abut said longitudinal arm of said latch and move the latter to operative position when said float arm descends to valve-open position, and other thrust means on said float arm at the other side of said pivot to abut said lateral arm of said latch and move the latter to released position when said float arm ascends to a predetermined position.

2. A tank-filling means comprising an elongated casing to extend through an opening in a tank, said casing having a liquid inlet at its outer end, a longitudinal stem guide at its inner end, a liquid outlet between'said inlet and said stem guide, and an outwardly facing valve seat be tween said inlet and outlet, the inner end of said stem guide being provided with a rigid arm projecting longitudinally inward and laterally offset from the axis of said guide, an inwardly closing valve cooperable with said seat and having an attached stem extending longitudinally through said stem guide, a flat plate at the inner ex tremity of said stem and having a cam edge directly cooperable with said extremity for forcing said stem to valve-open position, a transverse pivot mounting said plate on said rigid arm for pivotal movement in a plane extending longitudinally of said casing, a float arm secured to said plate for operating it, and a right angular latch pivotally mounted at its angle on the aforesaid pivot at one side of said plate, said latch having a longitudinal arm extending toward said casing to abut the inner extremity of said stem to hold the latter in valve-open position, said latch also having a second arm projecting laterally, the aforesaid plate having a thrust shoulder at one side of said pivot to abut said longitudina arm of said latch and move the latter to operative position when said float arm descends to valveopen position, said plate having another thrust portion at the other side of said pivot to abut said lateral arm of said latch and move the latter to released position when said float arm ascends to a predetermined position.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1; togetl1- er with a safety latch pivotally mounted on said stem guide for engagement with said lateral arm of the first mentioned latch to positively hold the latter against accidental release during ascent of said float arm, said float arm having a portion to contact with and release said safety latch as said float arm approaches said predetermined position.

4. A structure as specified in claim 2; together with a safety latch pivotally mounted on said stem guide for engagement with said lateral arm of the first mentioned latch to positively hold the latter against accidental release during ascent of said float arm, said plate having a cam portion to contact with and release said safety latch as said float arm approaches said predetermined position.

JAMES E. BROWNING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Asselin Jan. 12, 1943 

